Renton man arrested for selling fake Dale Chihuly sculptures
Apr 25, 2013, 11:23 AM | Updated: 5:10 pm
Police have arrested a Renton man for selling fake Dale Chihuly glass sculptures to a collector who planned to donate them to Gonzaga University. (Renton Police Dept.)
(Renton Police Dept.)
Police have arrested a Renton man for selling fake Dale Chihuly glass sculptures to a collector who planned to donate them to Gonzaga University.
Michael Little, 35, is charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods for trying to sell glass art and paintings on eBay as Dale Chihuly pieces. He even produced paperwork he said authenticated the artist’s work.
Investigators said a man named James Coombes wanted to buy some Chihuly glass to donate to Gonzaga’s Jundt Art Museum when he came across Little online in 2011. Over the next year and a half, he spent at least $22,000 buying pieces from Little.
Coombes finally sought an art expert after numerous galleries could not authenticate the pieces. The expert examined the art and determined they were frauds. The paperwork was also forged.
If convicted, Little faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
